Envelope stripping device



March 20, 1962 c. E. PORTER ENVELOPE STRIPPING DEVICE Filed Jan. 3, 1961INVENTOR. CHAQLE S E. PORTEQ United States Patent 3,026,239 ENVELOPESTRIPPIN G DEVICE Charles E. Porter, St. Paul, Minn. (3 Red Cap Lane,South St. Paul, Minn.) Filed Jan. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 80,278 3 Claims.(Cl. 156584) This invention relates to devices for stripping envelopesfrom a backing sheet to which they are attached adhesively in overlappedrelation by means of short gummed flaps extending from opposite ends ofthe envelopes.

An object of the present invention is to provide a transversely slottedmetal plate member positioned and maintained above a table or othersupporting surface so that the envelopes as the backing sheet, with theenvelopes attached thereto, is drawn through the transverse slot theenvelopes will be separated from the sheet by severing the short flapstherefrom.

A feature of the invention is that the edge of the transverse slot onthe approaching side of the plate is raised slightly above the trailingside of the slot, so that the edge against which the envelopes andbacking sheet are drawn will be slightly below the surface over whichthey are advanced toward the slot.

With the above and other objects of the invention in view, the inventionmay include the features of construction and operation set forth in thefollowing specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the accompanying drawing annexed hereto and forming a part of thisspecification, I have shown the invention embodied in a hand operatedmodel, but it will be understood that the drawing is not to be construedas defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims appendedto this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an envelope stripping device made inaccordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the plane of line 22 ofFIG. 1.

In the above mentioned drawing, there has been shown but one embodimentof the invention which is now deemed preferable, but it is to beunderstood that changes and modifications may be made within the scopeof the appended claims without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Referring to the figures of the drawing and first to FIG. 1, it will beseen that the device comprises a flat metal sheet transversely slottedas shown at 12. The opposite sides of the sheet are *bent downward andinward to form portions 14 to support the sheet 10 horizontally at afixed distance above the table 16 or other supporting surface. At oneend the sheet is turned downward to form a retaining surface 18 toresist movement of the device during operation. At the opposite end thesheet is turned upward to form an abutment 20 against which theenvelopes after being severed from the sheet may be allowed to stack.

At an intermediate portion of the sheet 10 there is provided thetransverse slot 12 of sufiicient length to permit the backing sheet 22to be drawn therethrough. As will be seen by an inspection of FIG. 2,the edges of the elongated slot 12 are in planes slightly spaced fromeach other. The edge of the slot 12 against which the envelopes 24 arepulled is slightly lower than the oppo site edge.

In operation the backing sheet 22 with the envelopes 24 attached theretowith the sealing flap of each envelope below the leading edge of thefollowing envelope is passed over the metal sheet 10 and the sheet 22passed downward through the slot 12. The leading edge of the sheet 22 isthen manually pulled forward below the metal sheet 10. As the sheet 10is passed through the transverse slot 12 the short flaps of theenvelopes 24 are successively severed from the backing sheet 22. Theenvelopes 24 with their short or supplemental flaps severed are stackedon the sheet 10 against the upward turned end 20. The sheet 22 with thesupplemental flaps 26 still attached thereto is continued to be drawnthrough the slot and from the device for the full length of the strip.

I claim as my invention:

1. An envelope stripping device comprising, a metal sheet, means tomaintain said sheet above and laterally against a horizontal supportingmember, said sheet having a transversely extending slot, wherebyenvelopes attached adjacent each other in overlapping relation to abacking sheet may be separated from said backing sheet by drawing saidbacking sheet from above the metal sheet through said transverse slotand from below said metal sheet, and the envelopes may stack on saidsheet.

2. An envelope stripping device comprising, a metal sheet, means tomaintain said sheet above a supporting member, said sheet having anelongated transverse slot formed therein, a downwardly extending flangeformed at one end of said sheet and an upwardly extending flange formedat the opposite end of said sheet.

3. An envelope stripping device comprising, a metal sheet, means tomaintain said sheet above a supporting member, said sheet having anelongated transverse slot formed therein, the edges of said slot beingin slightly different planes, a downwardly extending flange formed atone end of said sheet and an upwardly extending flange formed at theopposite end of said sheet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,276,297 Flood Mar. 17, 1942' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATEOF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,026,239 March 20, 1962 Charles E. Porter Itis hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patentrequiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read ascorrected below.

In the grant, lines 1 to 3, for "Charles E. Porter, of St. Paul,Minnesota," read Charles E. Porter, of St. Paul, Minnesota, assignor toCurtis 1000, Incorporated, of St. Paul, Minnesota, a corporation ofMinnesota, line 12, for "Charles E. Porter, his heirs" read Curtis 1000,Incorporated its successors in the heading to the printed specification,lines 3 and 4, for "Charles E. Porter, St. Paul, Minn. (3 Red Cap Lane,South St. Paul, Minn.)" read Charles E. Porter, St. Paul, Minn.,assignor to Curtis 1000, Incorporated, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation ofMinnesota Signed and sealed this 31st day of July 1962.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

1. AN ENVELOPE STRIPPING DEVICE COMPRISING, A METAL SHEET, MEANS TOMAINTAIN SAID SHEET ABOVE AND LATERALLY AGAINST A HORIZONTAL SUPPORTINGMEMBER, SAID SHEET HAVING A TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING SLOT, WHEREBYENVELOPES ATTACHED ADJACENT EACH OTHER IN OVERLAPPING RELATION TO ABACKING SHEET MAY BE SEPARATED FROM SAID BACKING SHEET BY DRAWING SAIDBACKING SHEET FROM ABOVE THE METAL SHEET THROUGH SAID TRANSVERSE SLOTAND FROM BELOW SAID METAL SHEET, AND THE ENVELOPES MAY ATTACK ON SAIDSHEET.